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The Bijou Dragon
11-08-2009, 02:46 PM
Ok, I have tried to do this for several years now and each time I fail miserably.

I came up with the currently design of The Bijou Dragon logo a while ago and whilst looking at it last night realized that it was incredibly blokey looking and not at all feminine and relating to pretty jewellery at all.

So, I have decided to ask for advice or possibly as if anyone knows someone who designs logos and would work for jewellery instead of cash lol

Now I'm happy with the script that the company name is in (after last nights 4:30 am flash of inspiration) but I am desperately looking for a wee dragon character to call my own!

I'm a bit fussy to be honest and don't really want a Chinese dragon because I don't think my work is in any way Oriental but then I don't want a cutesy, child-like dragon either.

I also want it to be something that looks good small or big and either in colour or black and white on business cards etc.

Basically it's just a little logo to put above "The Bijou Dragon" wording and I've seen some examples of strange shapes and wings and what-not but nothing that screams "I am a jewellery shop"...

Anyone got any ideas at all please as I'm going mental staring at Photoshop and not coming up with anything pretty!!

Have you logo-ized your business and if so, how did you go about it?

:(| < me today! lol

Di Sandland
11-08-2009, 03:37 PM
So many of us struggling with the same issues! Moon f***ing Cottage, where did I come up with that and how the hell do I logoize it :confused:

Atelier Ava
11-08-2009, 04:08 PM
I used my initials and it just lent itself to be the side of a face, eye and nose. I have been evolving and refining it over the years and now it is my hallmark to, so I am stuck with it. I think if you keep it simple and gradually stylize it, whatever the name is. Look for images of the subject and find ones you like and then try and make them your own. The more work you can do on the computer helps to as you can learn how to create new ideas as you go along.
:) Paula

Di Sandland
11-08-2009, 04:31 PM
Paula, just took a closer look at your logo and you're right, it makes a brilliant face.

I've been playing with moons and cottages for months now. I actually do know where I got Moon Cottage from by the way and, once the site is up, you'll all see where I'm coming from - just waiting to get the photos up-to-standard for that.

See, my 'design head' doesn't work in sleek stylised ways, I'm chunky (in body as well as in style :dance:) but I don't want a chunky logo. :confused:

EmmaRose
11-08-2009, 08:28 PM
a logo can just be text.......
Bijou, its difficult unless you want to "steal" artwork as you can't get free photos of dragons...guess I would start with a trawl of free clip art sites. For amazing artwork and inspiration (and maybe someone to design for jewellery) try www.deviantart.com.
This is mine for what its worth....http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee49/EmmaRoseOC/logo2.gif

EmmaRose
11-08-2009, 08:41 PM
oh and always have a logo that will work in black and white as easily as colour....
Em

The Bijou Dragon
11-08-2009, 09:15 PM
Noooo no stealing artwork gosh! I can do it myself I just don't know *what* to do.

Think I might just keep it as text with a nice bit of a flourish on it or something... trouble is, I'm never happy!

My ex was a graphic designer so I know the basics and he even designed me a dragon once but I just couldn't settle to it :)

Di Sandland
11-08-2009, 10:03 PM
photos of dragons

:confused:

AlexandraBuckle
11-08-2009, 10:12 PM
why you so confoosed? its like you don't think dragons exist or something stoopid like that....

Di Sandland
11-08-2009, 10:14 PM
nooooooooo, I know they exist, I was just wondering what focal length had to be used to get the whole beast in shot :-D

AlexandraBuckle
11-08-2009, 10:20 PM
I wouldn't know for close up shots - I prefer to snap them from a distance myself, as I only have a cheap camera - that way they fit in shot and I don't get too toasty!

EmmaRose
12-08-2009, 11:56 AM
yes top tip, don't get too close- wayyyyy to many teeth :D
Em

MuranoSilver
12-08-2009, 01:06 PM
I think some of the difficulty is Bijou Dragon doesn't immediately say jewellery...
maybe incorporate those words with a simple graphic??
I've attached a quick logo I made for you but you could make something way better :Y:
Nic x

Di Sandland
12-08-2009, 01:09 PM
Nic - why are you so bloody all-round talented - that Bijou Dragon logo is brill

AlexandraBuckle
12-08-2009, 01:47 PM
I think some of the difficulty is Bijou Dragon doesn't immediately say jewellery...
maybe incorporate those words with a simple graphic??
I've attached a quick logo I made for you but you could make something way better :Y:
Nic x

Well it hints at jewellery if you know French, (I think bijou means jewel...?)

Nice little logo Nic :Y:

The Bijou Dragon
12-08-2009, 02:19 PM
Nic you are AMAZING! Where did you get the wee dragon from? It's perfect!!!

Bijou means: http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/bijou

I chose it because it sounded better than The Jewellery Dragon or The Silver Dragon as with the latter I didn't want to have to keep myself to just silver. I also have a HUGE passion for dragons and all the other shop names I liked and thought of without dragons were already taken :(

I have had thoughts of re-branding my shop entirely but I think I might just settle for a word type logo... still thinking about it I think!

AlexandraBuckle
12-08-2009, 02:38 PM
Bijou means: http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/bijou



Yay i was right! I always new A-level French would come in useful one day....

MuranoSilver
12-08-2009, 07:46 PM
Nic you are AMAZING! Where did you get the wee dragon from? It's perfect!!!

Bijou means: http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/bijou
I chose it because it sounded better than The Jewellery Dragon or The Silver Dragon as with the latter I didn't want to have to keep myself to just silver. I also have a HUGE passion for dragons and all the other shop names I liked and thought of without dragons were already taken :(

I have had thoughts of re-branding my shop entirely but I think I might just settle for a word type logo... still thinking about it I think!

lol glad you like it (it's an adaptation of a tattoo design I did for you)
I've loads of fonts so I just picked one which worked with the image.
Nic x

EmmaRose
13-08-2009, 01:14 PM
nice work Nic!
Don't forget to show us your work in progress Bijiou...we MAY have helpful suggestions ;)
Em

The Bijou Dragon
13-08-2009, 05:06 PM
nice work Nic!
Don't forget to show us your work in progress Bijiou...we MAY have helpful suggestions ;)
Em

Ohhh I'm working on it, have no fear, just a bit busy the next few weeks getting the flat in order before we move and selling junk and what not so am trying to fit it between that and working on the car as well :)

Ominicci
17-08-2009, 02:10 PM
My Avatar is my logo. I wanted a dragonfly shape and wanted a word that would make up the body so it couldn't have any tops or tails to the letters. Obviously the nicci on the end is me and the first bit is 'oh my' (omi) as my MIL used to say 'oh my!' a lot when I showed her my stuff. So it's pronounced 'Oh my Nicci' not 'Om in eechee' like most people think - even though that's how I say it as well because it sounds posh :rofl:

I drew out the wings freehand and my Nephew who is a graphic designer, tidied it up so all the lines were the same width and made a load of computer files for it .gif .bmp. .jpg etc so I had different formats for different uses. I also have a green version and purple versions and reversed colour versions ( onrange dragonfly on white et as well as black and white versions.

I have sets of Moo mini cards with both logos and pictures of my jewellery on - that the good thing about them, that you can upload 100 photos for 100 cards. I use them as tags and you can put a matching tag on each piece of jewellery!! You can give them out as normal cards and if someone likes something particular they can have a card of that piece and give it to their other half to buy for them etc :-"

bustagasket
17-08-2009, 02:21 PM
I always pronounce it 'Om in eechee' too lol

Di Sandland
17-08-2009, 02:58 PM
I love your logo - hadn't noticed it was a dragon fly tho! I also pronounced it the posh way, even when I reallised that the Nicci bit was you.

AlexandraBuckle
18-08-2009, 10:01 AM
I was pronouncing it Om-i-nicci in my head :)
Its a good logo, i like it!

Ominicci
18-08-2009, 05:24 PM
I also didn;t want it to convey anything in particular e.g. jewellery as I also do stained glass and have doen wedding stationery in the past. The only problem - like Bijou's - is that it doesn't convey jewellery. But then it's the name that needs to stick in people's head - after all 'Virgin' wasn't about virgins was it? And now it means a lot of things.

The Bijou Dragon
18-08-2009, 05:57 PM
I also didn;t want it to convey anything in particular e.g. jewellery as I also do stained glass and have doen wedding stationery in the past. The only problem - like Bijou's - is that it doesn't convey jewellery. But then it's the name that needs to stick in people's head - after all 'Virgin' wasn't about virgins was it? And now it means a lot of things.

I've added 'Artisan Jewellers' to alot of my advertising guff like business cards and what not. I'm not sure about all the 'your business name should say something about you' deal after all... Reebok? Addidas? Virgin? Bosch? don't exactly convey what they make...

I just wanted a wee dragon for a logo but could never find anything of see anything that I remotely liked... I have one now that I love though :D